Annex setup and packup time

[Crusty181]

Unless you really need to have a tent on your van

Its an Expanda forum @Drover, we all have tents hanging on our vans. Some of us (ie you) have moved on to giant luxurious Coromals and forgotten our (your) roots

20min easy up after throwing it out of the bag, and a little longer to pack up to fold it nicely .... so i can throw it out next time

 

[Drover]

Didn't need one with The Tardis but then it was a 14.44.3 the Ultimate Expanda...............................
......................and yes, as I sit back and look thru binoculars to the other end of Big Mal, it is a big bugger..................................

 

[Dobbie]

Stop bragging!



re setup time....we've changed to the Fiamma type AFKs after having used the grasshopper ones for the last few years.

(Grasshopper have yellow plastic clips that have to be slid over the rafters; Fiamma type use the levers)

Fiamma type much easier and faster...so far but only put it once up to test it.

We find we spend more time getting out the ladder to use to climb up .....short arses so can't reach the top of the awning. The walls, shades whatever take no time at all.

and, doing lots of free camping, so privacy is not as much of an issue as in caravan parks.

We're currently in a free camp and have only just the awning out...no sullage, no power cable, no water hoses. No AFK, no shade walls, no matting and there's a fire pit in front of us and a bbq...so kitchen is not used at all.

Blissful easy setup! That's how you save time...just keep it simple. Not clean ...but simple.

:faint:

 

[Drover]

Same here but have a lake 4 steps away, nah,nah.............................I think the Colorado awnings are lots better than the Fiamma, flimsy things or Dometic awnings though and the AFK from Aussie "somethings" are easy and more rugged than some others I've seen.

 

[Dandy]

mate uses cheap battery powered sensor lights for this. easy mod. Just make sure you get ones rated for outdoor use.

Yes we have had a few set ups. My local repairer showed me the catalogue and there are a couple of options with motion detectors that would match the Jayco lights and the wiring should be easy because they should line up with the overhead cupboards he quoted about $300 for both.

 

[Drover]

Yes we have had a few set ups. My local repairer showed me the catalogue and there are a couple of options with motion detectors that would match the Jayco lights and the wiring should be easy because they should line up with the overhead cupboards he quoted about $300 for both.

...............that would buy a hell of a lot of cheapies.

 

[Macca_75]

...............that would buy a hell of a lot of cheapies.

Personally I think a $300 option that "looks factory" on a $60K+ van isn't the end of the world. But yes, they would also need to be a better quality than the cheap units from the green shed for that kind of money. I also wonder if that included labour to fit the things. Probably an hours work.

 

[Dandy]

Personally I think a $300 option that "looks factory" on a $60K+ van isn't the end of the world. But yes, they would also need to be a better quality than the cheap units from the green shed for that kind of money. I also wonder if that included labour to fit the things. Probably an hours work.

Yes that was Narva lights to match the jayco ones with motion detectors installed including switches an labour.

 

[Macca_75]

Yes that was Narva lights to match the jayco ones with motion detectors installed including switches an labour.

Personally I'd be OK with $300 for that

 

[Macca_75]

Just purchased the 5 step (thanks for the tip @davemc )



I don't really need the height, but like having the extra steps to "lean against". It will fit in my 150mm pole carrier with the AFK and curved rafter bars .

 

[davemc]

Just purchased the 5 step (thanks for the tip @davemc )



I don't really need the height, but like having the extra steps to "lean against". It will fit in my 150mm pole carrier with the AFK and curved rafter bars .

Just make sure its full out before you climb.. I have been known to not lock mine correctly then wonder why its moving
Helps get the bikes down as well on our 22.68 as the bike rack is above the spare on the rear so no way I can even reach

 

[Chrisand Susan]

We have aTebbs (made in Dandenong) for our 17.56.2 the end walls are 2 piece and so it's pretty easy to slide the top sections into the anti flap kits then zip the bottom portion on. Because we have an outback I bought a ladder. I set mine up in about 20 mins with no probs. My mate has a 16.49.1 and he was surprised how easy ours was compared to his. It is great to put all the furniture out of sight when you leave the site and we found it really useful to have a protected dry area for boots etc.

We also got a door in the back wall for easy access on different sites. It cost a little more but well worth it when we back on to the ensuite. Have the same issue with some slabs I have been thinking of some way to run a strip of something along the bottom of the walls to hold them down. The other little project for the future is to fit exterior lights outside the area covered by the annexe... Hopefully motion detectors for security an late night pit stops.

Any chance you could post a pick of how the deflappers fit into awning roller, im pretty sure my roller gas been replaced before i bought it and there are no holes for deflapper or im missing something

 

[Crusty181]

Just make sure its full out before you climb.. I have been known to not lock mine correctly then wonder why its moving
Helps get the bikes down as well on our 22.68 as the bike rack is above the spare on the rear so no way I can even reach

and those ladder seriously "bite" skin if make the mistake of putting your any where near the tread as you extend it

 

[Dandy]

Any chance you could post a pick of how the deflappers fit into awning roller, im pretty sure my roller gas been replaced before i bought it and there are no holes for deflapper or im missing something

These are the pics we did when we did our original test run.. You can see that the roller has holes pre drilled. You may be able to make out the end of the anti flap as I am trying to line it up. You can also see that a ladder is very handy... Especially for our outback! I have since purchased a smaller Aldi ladder that travels lying on the top bunk. When we found our correct set up on level ground we put a couple of small markings on the end of the roller on the ratchet section so that we have the holes lined up. And the light is in the right position. Ours were fitted by the annexe manufacturer and the rafters were fitted while we were waiting. So we got to see the "professional" installation. As long as the roller is in the correct position it would be relatively simple to drill your own. Make sure you get everything set up perfectly first ...then mark out the holes.